Bill > HR58

This resolution urges the United States Congress to pass a constitutional amendment eliminating the current exception in the Thirteenth Amendment that allows slavery or involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime. The resolution provides historical context about how the existing constitutional language has perpetuated systemic racism, citing examples such as the post-Civil War "Black Codes" that allowed for the arrest and imprisonment of African Americans for minor offenses and the practice of convict leasing, which disproportionately impacted Black Americans. The resolution notes that this constitutional loophole has contributed to the over-incarceration of African Americans, who are currently imprisoned at more than five times the rate of White Americans, and highlights that multiple states have already taken steps to remove similar provisions from their state constitutions. Specifically, the resolution calls for Congress to adopt the proposed amendment introduced by Senator Jeff Merkley and Representative Nikema Williams, which would simply state that "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude may be imposed as a punishment for a crime." The resolution also directs that copies of this request be sent to the President of the United States, congressional leadership, and Pennsylvania's congressional delegation.